How do I import an SQL file using the command line in MySQL?

I have a `.sql` file with an export from `phpMyAdmin`. I want to import it into a different server using the command line.

I have a [Windows Server 2008][1] R2 installation. I placed the `.sql` file on the ***C drive***, and I tried this command

database_name < file.sql

It is not working. I get syntax errors.

- How can I import this file without a problem?
- Do I need to create a database first?

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Go to the directory where you have MySQL.

c:\mysql\bin\> mysql -u username -p password database_name <
filename.sql

Also to dump all databases, use the `-all-databases` option, and no databases’ name needs to be specified anymore.

mysqldump -u username -ppassword –all-databases > dump.sql

Or you can use some GUI clients like SQLyog to do this.

For backup purposes, make a BAT file and run this BAT file using [Task Scheduler][1]. It will take a backup of the database; just copy the following line and paste in [Notepad][2] and then save the .bat file, and run it on your system.

@echo off
for /f "tokens=1" %%i in ('date /t') do set DATE_DOW=%%i
for /f "tokens=2" %%i in ('date /t') do set DATE_DAY=%%i
for /f %%i in ('echo %date_day:/=-%') do set DATE_DAY=%%i
for /f %%i in ('time /t') do set DATE_TIME=%%i
for /f %%i in ('echo %date_time::=-%') do set DATE_TIME=%%i

"C:\Program Files\MySQL\mysql server 5.5\bin\mysqldump" -u username -ppassword mysql>C:/%DATE_DAY%_%DATE_TIME%_database.sql

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Go to the directory where you have the MySQL executable. `-u` for username and `-p` to prompt for the password:

C:\xampp\mysql\bin>mysql -u username -ppassword databasename < C:\file.sql

I thought it could be useful for those who are using [Mac OS X][1]:

/Applications/xampp/xamppfiles/bin/mysql -u root -p database < database.sql

Replace `xampp` with `mamp` or other web servers.

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If you are using [MAMP][1] on Mac OS X, this may be helpful:

/applications/MAMP/library/bin/mysql -u MYSQL_USER -p DATABASE_NAME < path/to/database_sql/FILE.sql

MYSQL_USER is root by default.

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1. Open the MySQL command line
2. Type the path of your mysql bin directory and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>
3. Paste your SQL file inside the `bin` folder of mysql server.
4. Create a database in MySQL.
5. Use that particular database where you want to import the SQL file.
6. Type `source databasefilename.sql` and <kbd>Enter</kbd>
7. Your SQL file upload successfully.

The following steps help to upload `file.sql` to the MySQL database.

Step 1: Upload `file.sql.zip` to any directory and unzip there <br>
**Note**: `sudo apt-get install unzip`
: `sudo apt-get unzip file.sql.zip`<br>
Step 2: Now navigate to that directory. Example: `cd /var/www/html`<br>

Step 3: `mysql -u username -p database-name < file.sql`<br>
Enter the password and wait till uploading is completed.

The following command works for me from the command line (cmd) on
Windows 7 on [WAMP][1].

d:/wamp/bin/mysql/mysql5.6.17/bin/mysql.exe -u root -p db_name < database.sql

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If your folder has multiple SQL files, and you've installed [Git Bash][1] you can use this command to import multiple files:

cd /my-project/data

cat *.sql | /c/xampp/mysql/bin/mysql -u root -p 1234 myProjectDbName

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